The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-01-26
A CALICO FROCK.
BY GEORGE MARTIAL,

b1 GEOltGE MAlkIlAls
1t wasn't hot day, nor cold day,
nor a damp day, but it was an atrocious
day, a clammy day, an unbearable day,
day that made your clothes stick to
you like poor relations, that brought out
cold sweats on pitchers and eoblets, that
made your back race-cOurse for CON
tcmptible little chils and the rest of
your body target for thousands in
visible pins and needles, that made the
grasshopper u burden and the dusty, be-
grimcd city pandemonium, that made
solomon Griggs, bachelor, of the firm of
Griggs, Makem i Co., the great clothing
merchants, shut up his ledger with II
bang and start for the country by the
next train, remarking TO old Grimesby,
the head clerk, "that the city was
sitting" To which that worthy replied:
$50 it is, but how about the feller that
can't get out of it and must stay to be
choked7"-a problem which 1 suspect
our friend of the firm of GrigGs, Makcm
& Co. troubled his head very little about,
being just then busy in looking into the
dusty rccesscs of that picture gallery
which memory furnishes and arranges
for us all, as single landscape hanging
there. A low house with messy, over
hanging caves, standing on the slope of
green hill, shaded by branching elms,
with level fields stretching of in the
foreground toward the sparkling water
on one side and dusky woods on the
other, and there, dusty, sweating and
tired, Solomon found himself Just about
sunset. Out came ruddy-cheeked,
smiling old lady in cap and apron, that
had attained state of snowy perfection
unknown to city laundresscs.
"Why, bless me if it isn't little Sol!
Why, who'd a thought of seeing your
and she folded the stalwart bearded
man in as warm an embrace as though
he were in reality still the little Sol of
former days.
"And how do you do, Sol Come in,
come in; don't stand out there, You
know the little path and the way to the
pantry yet, l dare say. Come in; you
needn't start back-its only lachel."
'But didn't know you had any young
ladies with you, Aunt Hester"
''It's only Rachel, l tell you-Rachel
Hart, the seamstress, Are there no
women in your city, that you are afraid
to face little country girlP'
"Little indeed, thought Solomon, as
he acknowledged his aunt's somewhat
peculiar introduction-and not pretty,
either-with large eyes ef that uncertain
gray that sometimes beams darkly blue
and then deepens into brown; with a
smooth, low forehead and light brown
hair drawn tightly across each ear, just
revealing its crimson tips; face irregu-
larly featured and rendered still more
striking by the singular contrast be-
tween its extreme pallor and the intense
ly scarlet lips-the personitication of
neatness, the embodiment of reserve.
San odd little person." thought Solo,
mon, "but it's none Of my business !"
and dismissing her from his mind, he
proceeded to the much more important
business of making himself perceptible
at Aunt Ilester's tea table.
Solomon did ampe justice to the
snowy bread, golden butter and luscious
Strawberries, and later, as that worthy
was indulging in a stroll across the
fields, he lifted up his eyes, and beheld
the little seamstress, whose existence hC
had quite forgotten, under a venerable
cherry tree, making desperate efforts tC
seize a tempting branch on its loves
DOuRlS-lOOhllS dliilbob WIN hC
flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes.
Now Sol was gallant man-decided-
| ly the 'preux chevaller of the firm OF
Griggs, Makem ~ Co. so that whenever
as had once or twice happened, a petit
coat ventured into the mouldy shades o
that establishment Sol was the maj
whom destiny and the other partners Sc
lected to parley with the enemy.
Advancing, therefore, with a hapP.
mixtureof confidence and condescension
Sol plucked the cherries and was abou
to present them when independence in
calico frock stepped back with COOL
"Keep them yourself, sir; don't car
for them.
II thought you wanted them" STAN
mered Sol.
$50 l did, because they were Difficult
to obtain. Had they been on your aunt
table, l would not have touched them
1t is the glow of triumph that gives
pleasure to its zest at the cherrie
yourself, and good evening, sir.n
stop a moment" said Sol, not lii
tie astonished that isl mean-pel
NIT me to accompany YOU"
"No, you would expect me to entel
tain you, and that would be too muc
trouble" "
'But if, instead, ! should entertai
youl"
"You cannot"
"Why2"
"You could tell me nothing new. Yo
are only a crucible for converting ball
of cloth into the precious ore that all IL
world goes mad after. No doubt yo
are all very well in your way, but the
are slehemists who could transmute oI